Puglia wine is poised to write new chapters in the history of wine, with its ability to evolve without losing its identity. Apulian wines are undergoing a transformation, focusing on quality production and enhancement of native varieties.
Apulia, a land of connection between West and East, boasts a winemaking tradition dating back thousands of years. Named the “cellar of Europe” in the second half of the 19th century, for a long time has focused on blending wines, especially reds, experiencing periods of great prosperity. However, in 1957 the “wine war” marked a long phase of crisis from which the Apulian wine sector recovered between the 1970s and 1980s, when forward-looking producers began to enhance the quality potential of local grape varieties with wines that immediately distinguished themselves nationally and internationally. 
Over the past fifty years, the region has made great progress, remaining in constant ferment, in a constant balance between tradition and modernity: a path that has consolidated the growing quality of its wines. This ferment also translates into an evolution of the regional wine scene, which is increasingly oriented to enhance the link between grape variety and territory., highlighting native varieties in the most suitable soils, where soils and pedoclimatic conditions enhance the typicality of these grapes. At the same time, Apulian oenology is also evolving in style: there is a gradual move away from wines traditionally rich in color, alcohol and structure, sometimes with residual sugar, toward a more “contemporary” production, marked by freshness and ease of drinking, capable of satisfying an increasingly broad and attentive public.
The revival of the Susumaniello
In this dynamism, Il Susumaniello is experiencing a real renaissance, generating growing interest and appreciation in markets. Formerly used mainly for sweet filtrates and dye grapes, supporting varieties such as Negroamaro and Malvasia Nera, the grape variety was at risk of disappearance because of its declining productivity over time. However, thanks to the efforts of tradition-bound producers, it has found a new identity, carving out a leading role for itself among Apulian natives.
The last two decades have witnessed a new face of this grape variety, with more and more producers deciding to enhance it, leading to a rapid growth of dedicated versions and labels. Its diffusion is growing throughout Salento and the Itria Valley, but it finds its chosen land especially in the province of Brindisi, an area historically associated with this variety.
Susumaniello is distinguished by its versatility, expressing itself in different declinations: from classic method sparkling wines to rosés and fresh, easy-drinking reds, to more complex and structured reds, ideal for long aging.
The refined balance of the Nero di Troia
Another grape variety in full evolution, which is gaining more and more attention, is the Nero di Troia. Over the past two decades, thanks to constant research and experimentation, it has achieved established quality. Once characterized by powerful and rustic wines that required long maturation to tame their vigorous tannins, today expresses wines with a refined balance between austerity and elegance, offering a more accessible and immediate drinking pleasure. Grown in the northern Apulia, from Daunia to Alta Murgia, Nero di Troia is the protagonist, along with the Castel del Monte area, of two of the region’s four DOCGs. Its interpretations are mainly red, but there is no shortage of characterful rosés and classic method sparkling wines.
Minutolo, a grape in ferment
In a land of red wines, there is also ferment for the whites, driven by the growing demand for this type. Protagonist in this context is the rediscovery of the Minutolo, an ancient grape variety long confused with Fiano, which Apulian farmers called “Fiano minutolo.” In reality, Minutolo has its own distinct identity and has nothing to do with Fiano..
Today, it is finally getting the recognition it deserves, with productions to enhance it. Its ideal land are the limestone and clay soils of the Itria Valley., where it best expresses its unique characteristics of freshness and aromaticity.
Bottom line.
The region aims to gain a prominent role in the national and international wine scene, with wines ranging from structured reds to fresh and aromatic whites, from elegant rosés to fine sparkling wines.
